Method of treating fuel



NW. 6, 1934. s. BUKA 1,979,730

METHOD OF TREATING FUEL Filed Nov. 7, 1932 01! 80 lbs.

@ W WW Patented Nov. 6, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT orrica 4 Claims.

The present invention relates to an improved method of treating coal, coke and kindred fuels in order to provide a fuel product as disclosed and claimed in the application of Frank C.

5 Broeman, Serial No. 467,980, Patent No. 1,886,-

633 filed July 14, 1930. 7

An object of the invention is to provide a method of treating fuels with finely divided oil in such manner as to provide greater certainty 10 in the oil coverage and less waste of oil, and at the same time to insure just the desired uniform quantity distribution of the oil.

Another object of the invention is to provide for the simultaneous dividing of a suitable oil into very fine particles and for the mixing of these particles with water in spray or finely divided form such that susbtantially every particle of water will carry with it a particle of oil. The resultant combined spray is very easy to control and may be directed onto fuel to secure efificient and economical coverage. I

Another object is to provide a spray method for treating fuels wherein none of the oil is lost or disbursed wastefully when the treatment is applied out of doors or in windy weather.

These and other objects are obtained by the hereinafter described method.

In the accompanying drawing which is made a part hereof Fig. 1 shows one simple apparatus for carrying out the method of the invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged View, part being broken away and partly in cross section, showing a gun employed with the apparatus of Fig. 1.

In the aforementioned Broeman patent application, Serial No. 467,980, Patent No. 1,886,633 there is disclosed a highly useful fuel product of commercial fuels such as coal of various sizes, coke and the like which are treated to prevent dustingduring handling, hauling and storage.

The fuel is treated with a-very fine uniform .cov-

ering of a suitable mineral oil in such quantity as to avoid rendering the fuel noticeably greasy, but nevertheless fullylprevents dusting of the fuel.

A light mineral oil is used, and, as a matter of perfect and efficient safety, it should have a flash point lower than that of the coal or coke treated, but high enough to avoid the possibility of spontaneous combustion. A satisfactory oil for such a purpose would be any mineral oil having a flash point of from 250 F. to 450 F. with -a. specific gravity of 24 Baum to 32 Baum and a viscosity of from 50 to 500 Saybolt at 77 F the method of the present invention the oil is applied in the desired quantity of onethird to one gallon per ton of fuel in the finely divided state and with water as previously men-.

tioned.

A convenient and very flexible apparatus for producing the admixture of finely divided oil and water consists in connecting, by suitable flexible hose 5 with a water supply 6 at city pressure, e. g. ninety pounds per square inch, a car-washing nozzle indicated generally as 7 such as is obtainable on the open market. Car-washing nozzles consist of a gun barrel or tube 8 which is normally adapted to receive the Water connection and has interiorly of the barrel 8 a tube 9 of small bore terminating short of the discharge orifice 10 and which is adapted in its normal use to direct air under pressure. In carrying out the method of the invention herein, this inner tube 9, which is controlled by a trigger actuated valve 11 is connected to a source of supply, of oil 12 of the character just mentioned under a pressure of about eighty pounds per square inch.

The use of this type of car-washing nozzle with water and oil produces an oil-water spray that is heavy enough to be directed where wanted and, because of its pressure and finely divided state, possesses an especially good wetting power from which economical oil coverage is attained. Tests made not only on fuel as it is being dumped from chute to vehicle but upon flat surface such as cement walls show that, in spite of the excess of water in the spray, a complete fine volume of oil is spread over a surface immediately after the spray strikes the surface.

The ability to instantly shut off the supply of oil to the mixing nozzle makes it easy to avoid soiling and rendering unsightly the delivery rolling stock of a coal dealer and also avoids unnecessary saturation of surrounding ground with oil. By regulating the quantity oil flow per unit of time it is possible to gauge, with surprising accuracy, the amount of oil which will be spread over each ton of coal or coke.

The admixture with water insures coverage of the under surface of practically every piece and particle of fuel which flows from a hopper or chute. It has also been found that when coal or coke is sprayed in the bin there is attained a very good and uniform coverage. Any suitable means for attaining a commingled oil spray and water'spray may be employed in the fuel treat ment of the invention.

The advantage of this method over the method whereby oil alone is atomized with air under pressure lies in the ability not only to produce an easily controlled spray with thoroughly emcient coverage, but in the fact that the method of this invention may he practised in extremely cold weather. The use of air and oil gives rise to difilculties when practised in a temperature approximating because water condensation in the compressed air line freezes and produces stoppages as Well as improper action of the spray.

very light coating of suitable oil to completely cover the surfaces of fuel to he treated compris ing spraying Water under pressure to fuel ancl simultaneously discharging a fine stream estates of oil under pressure into s aifi spray of Water and directing the resultant product onto the fuel to he treated.

3. The method of non-wasteful application oi light coating of oil to fuel which consists in the stepsof simultaneously and separatelydirecting streams of oil and ordinary cold Water through a common path to produce a spray wherein rlroplets of water with. particles of oil attached produced, and directing such spray to fuel to be treated. selectively at rest and in motion.

l. The method of non-wasteful application of light oil coating to fuel which consists in the steps of directing separate streams of unmixe oil and unmixed water concentrically and under pressure to produce a spray wherein the is broken up into droplets and the oil is divided into fine particles attaching themselves to the Water in passage in the spray, directing the spray upon fuel at a distance and allowing the water to dissipate itself whereby a minute film of oil is deposited on the surfaces of the fuel.

SEIEEON 

